Boston, where it's legal to pass in the emergency lane; where people pass you on the right in your same lane; and where people sit at red lights with one foot on the accelerator and one foot on the brake. People who say Atlanta driving is scary have clearly never driven in Boston. Atlantans have mainly just have never gotten the hang of merging.
You guys had a riot? On account of me? A real riot?
Jayne ,'Jaynestown'
F2F 2: Is there anybody here that hasn't slept together?
Plan what to do, what to wear (you can never go wrong with a corset), and get ready for the next BuffistaCon: New Orleans! May 20-22, 2005!
Ginger - Apr 03, 2004 9:48:13 am PST #199 of 9999
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
Matt the Bruins fan - Apr 03, 2004 9:55:21 am PST #200 of 9999
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand
And we haven't even mentioned the physical reality of the streets themselves, which are so convoluted that taking a side street to flee the presence of any individual psychotic driver stands better than even odds of curving around and dumping you right back in front of them. My first trip there, I went through so many odd-geometry turns and blind alleys on my way to the Old North Church that I wouldn't have been surprised to arrive just in time to see Paul Revere completing his ride.
Ginger - Apr 03, 2004 9:57:07 am PST #201 of 9999
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
And Paul Revere would have been passing you on the right.
Cashmere - Apr 03, 2004 9:59:50 am PST #202 of 9999
Now tagless for your comfort.
Having visited friends in Boston...I'm all BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
It's funny 'cause it's true.
DXMachina - Apr 03, 2004 10:08:59 am PST #203 of 9999
You always do this. We get tipsy, and you take advantage of my love of the scientific method.
And we haven't even mentioned the physical reality of the streets themselves, which are so convoluted that taking a side street to flee the presence of any individual psychotic driver stands better than even odds of curving around and dumping you right back in front of them.
A story I've told before: The first time I met the Somervillains, Nutty asked me to give her a lift home, so we headed out. I'd rarely driven in Boston prior to that, and she wasn't all that familiar with driving through that part of town (Cambridge), either. Anyhow, at one point we wound up going the wrong way on a three lane main drag along the Charles (Soldier's Field Rd). Fortunately, it was late, and the oncoming traffic was stopped at a light, so I was able to make a quick u-turn.
Thomash - Apr 03, 2004 10:17:49 am PST #204 of 9999
I have a plan.
All this talk remindes me of my friend Eric whose job sometimes takes him overseas to places like India and China, looking at factory production facilities.
He told me once that the secret to crossing the streets in Hong Kong was to not make eye contact with the drivers. The theory goes is, if you do then they know you know they're coming at you and you better get out of their way. However, if you just keep eyes front and balls it across the street then they have to get out of your way.
Now that's scary.
meara - Apr 03, 2004 10:22:39 am PST #205 of 9999
YAY, this is all sounding so exciting!!
OK, so I am a localista, but I want to stay at the hotel Saturday night--who will be my roommate? Anyone? (Vortex, did we talk about this? I dont' even remember, my mind is going).
Much as I'm looking forward to this, it's also getting to me--I'm stage managing a huge show on May 1st, and THEN I can get excited about this...the other night, I had these bizarre dreams that the F2F and the GreatBig (May1 thing) were actually at the same time, and I was hanging out with y'all (in some weird-ass places in DC) and was about to be late to the show and it was all kinds of anxious and awful. Eek.
sj - Apr 03, 2004 11:02:24 am PST #206 of 9999
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
He told me once that the secret to crossing the streets in Hong Kong was to not make eye contact with the drivers. The theory goes is, if you do then they know you know they're coming at you and you better get out of their way. However, if you just keep eyes front and balls it across the street then they have to get out of your way.
I was told the same thing by my tour guide in Italy.
Katie M - Apr 03, 2004 11:05:00 am PST #207 of 9999
I was charmed (albeit somewhat perplexed) by the fannish sensibility of many of the music choices -- it's like the director was trying to vid Canada. --loligo on the Olympic Opening Ceremonies
When I went to Italy, by the end of the trip we were only crossing streets in the middle, never at intersections. In the middle of the street, cars mostly only came from two directions.
billytea - Apr 03, 2004 1:04:12 pm PST #208 of 9999
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
He told me once that the secret to crossing the streets in Hong Kong was to not make eye contact with the drivers. The theory goes is, if you do then they know you know they're coming at you and you better get out of their way. However, if you just keep eyes front and balls it across the street then they have to get out of your way.
In Cairo I was told the opposite. The traffic is utter chaos, and has ridiculously high mortality rates; but it's not particularly malicious or selfish. If they know you're there, they'll stop for you. But you'd better make sure they're paying attention before you step off the curb.